An Open Letter To Shameless Selfie Takers

Like many Instagram users, I have a lengthy checklist for posting a selfie:

The best lighting? Yep.

The perfect filter? Definitely.

Flattering angle? Think so.

After analyzing every aspect of my image and deeming my work of art complete, I take a deep breathe, press “send” and share my selfie with the world.

And then I wait.

Heart racing, I keep my cell phone close while agonizing over the lack of love shown to my selfie.

Where are the little red hearts? Why haven’t I reached 11 likes yet?

Needless to say, the intense stress and anxiety that come along with posting a selfie is almost enough to scare me away from selfies all together.

But I wish I wasn’t so self-conscious.

Selfie or no selfie, it’s nerve-wracking to put yourself out there on social media. Every time you press “send” on a post, you are offering a piece of yourself to the world. A clever tweet or a stunning photograph lets your followers form a vivid idea of who you are, what you like and what you don’t.

However, it’s one thing when your followers don’t think that joke you tweeted is funny. It’s quite another when you post a selfie and someone else is scrutinizing your face up close and personal.

Which is why I have respect for those shameless Instagram selfie takers: even though it’s easy to give an eyeroll to the Instagrammer that goes a little overboard, posting a selfie actually takes a lot of confidence—and in an age where you are one screenshot away from being the topic of a group chat conversation, confidence is a pretty important thing.

Since I personally don’t feel 100% comfortable posing in front of my iPhone camera, I can’t help but admire the girls that do. Any post, tweet or status update is subject to criticism but comments can hit harder when they are aimed at someone’s appearance.

Because a selfie or two on your timeline isn’t harming anyone, why not show some love to your fellow IGers?

We can’t escape selfies—the word is everywhere, from the Oxford dictionary to the catchy song taking over the radio. So let’s keep the selfie game strong by supporting our selfie-posting sisters (and continue spreading the love by participating the Kind Campaign).

Who knows? Maybe I’ll even feel bold enough to fearlessly press “send” on a few selfies of my own.

Hey, if Kim K can bare all for Paper magazine, what’s stopping me from posting a selfie in confidence?